Hail This, Hydra
by Gallifreyan at Hearts
Summary: Castiel is sent back in time to prevent young Steve Rogers from becoming a Hydra agent. Disclaimer: I own nothing. All characters in this story belong to Marvel comics or Warner Bros. Television / Kripke Enterprises.


The small assembly had already started, but a few stragglers were making their way into the room. Among them were a woman leading another woman and her son. She assured them that this was a safe place, that they would be taken care of here. The woman was apprehensive, but hopeful. She thanked the other woman, speaking in a thick Brooklyn accent. The son, who was probably twelve but looked no older than eight, looked at his mother and then at the room full of people. They seemed angry, and he didn't want to go in. But he couldn't walk home by himself, so what choice did he have?

The other woman, all smiles, held the door open for the mother and son. The door closed behind them.

Half a block away, a man in a trench coat watched.

The angel Castiel had come a long way for this, over eighty years in fact. But he didn't come just to watch. Hydra, he knew, had plans for the boy, the boy who would one day become Captain America. He had been sent to stop the infamous organization from poisoning the young boy's mind.

Cas made his way to the door and walked inside. There weren't even fifty people in the room, but the negative energy hit him like a blow to the chest. And he thought Hell was hostile territory.

The angel sat in an empty seat towards the back. Steve and Mrs. Rogers sat a few rows in front of him. The Hydra recruiter stay close to them, keeping the boy in her sight. Cas, too, kept his eyes on Steve. An archangel like Gabriel or Michael had the juice to hit the reset button if the mission went to shit, but he only had the mojo to swing it once. If he failed, the Captain would become a sleeper agent, hiding his Hydra agenda until 2016. The very thought disgusted Cas.

The speaker on the platform spouted out his hateful rhetoric, saying how some people are superior to others. Cas wondered if the crowd knew about the growing hate in Europe, that this hatred would bred ghettos and death camps.

The Hydra recruiter said something to Mrs. Rogers. She nodded her head, agreeing but not wholly convinced. Little Steve seemed unsure.

The speaker went on for another hour, and meeting finally ended. Cas followed Steve and his mother outside. The Hydra recruiter had a hand on both of their shoulders, not wanting to lose either of them, especially the boy. Mrs. Rogers thanked the woman for inviting them and promised to come back tomorrow. She and Steve walked back to their Brooklyn tenement. Cas didn't follow. There would be no accidents or muggers tonight. He walked towards the woman.

She stood at the door, a lit cigarette hanging precariously between her middle and forefingers. She chatted up the group's regulars as they came out the door.

"Excuse me, miss," said Cas in his gruff, throaty voice.

The women gave him a quick once over. He was much more handsome than he sounded. The rumpled trench coat was a size too large for him though. But, even in the dark, she saw his blue eyes, so deep you could dive in and swim for miles.

"Were you at the meeting, too, sugar?" she asked. The fake New York accent didn't fool Cas. She was most likely German or Austrian.

"Yes."

"What did you think?"

"Can we talk in private?"

A predatory grin spread across her face. "As long as we can see each other in private, too," she replied with a wink.

Cas tilted his head. "I don't understand what you're talking about, but it's important that we speak in private. That alley way is unoccupied," he pointed.

She took a long drag of her cigarette and blew a ring of smoke into Cas's face. "Then let's occupy it." She walked to the alley.

Cas shook his head. Sometimes he just didn't understand humans.

"Now what, sweetheart?" The woman leaned against a brick building. She dropped the cigarette on the ground and crushed it with her heel.

"You're a Hydra agent," said Cas.

"Who's asking?"

"That wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact."

"Is that such a bad thing? I'm helping people," she defended.

"You're poisoning the hearts and minds of good people, children. I don't see how that helpful."

She stepped towards Cas, almost pressing against him. "This is America, sugar. If you don't like what we're sayin', don't listen."

Cas saw he was getting nowhere fast. He took a more direct approach. "Leave the Rogers family alone. This is your only warning."

"And if we don't?"

"I will have no choice but to kill you."

The Hydra recruiter scoffed. "You can't kill an idea. Hail Hydra!"

"Hail this." The angel blade dropped out of Cas's sleeve. With one swift moment, he buried the blade in the woman's throat, up to the hilt. The blood stained blade jutted from the back of her neck. Cas pulled the blade out. The lifeless body fell to the ground. He flew away from the scene before anyone noticed him or the body.

The next evening he waited by the fire escape for Steve and his mother. Mrs. Rogers practically dragged the boy along. He didn't like those people. Why did they have to go back?

"Mrs. Sarah Rogers?" Cas asked.

"Yes?" she replied.

"My name is Jimmy Novak." He flashed up a fake FBI badge. Maybe the organization existed in this time. Maybe it didn't. Either way, it made him look official. "I would like to speak about where you and your son were last night."

"Are you the police? Is something wrong?" She held tightly to Steve's hand, afraid of losing him.

"I'm afraid there is. The organization you visited last night is a Hydra front."

"What's Hydra?" asked Steve. Mrs. Rogers glanced at him and then returned her gaze to whom she called in her mind 'Officer Novak'.

Cas crouched down, meeting Steve at eye level. The boy was nothing more than skin and bones now, but the angel could see the great man he would one day become. He would never be a perfect soldier, but always a good man. "You are aware of bullies, right?"

Little Steve nodded.

"Hydra is an organization full of bullies. They control and manipulate people. Good, honest people like you and your mom. They say more lies than truths, but not everyone can tell the difference. Promise me that you won't be like them. That you will always stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves."

"I promise," Steve said, smiling. He knew why he didn't like those people now. They were bullies. He had always hated bullies.

Cas stood to his full height and addressed Mrs. Rogers, "For your son's sake, don't go to that meeting tonight, or any night. If things at home get worse, go to a friend's house. A real friend."

"I promise," she said.

Steve waved goodbye to Cas as the angel walked towards the main street. A smile spread across the boy's face. He preferred staying with Bucky and Mr. and Mrs. Barnes over those bullies any day.

Cas would have traveled to the present a few years at a time, to make sure Steve Rogers didn't fall into Hydra's many hands again. But his power diminished with every minute he remained in the past. He spread out his wings and jumped to 2016.

Cas found himself in present day New York. Manhattan this time. He was across the street from the Avenger's tower. Captain Rogers, the world's most youthful looking ninety-eight year old, was talking with Sam Wilson and Natasha Romanoff. Cas could smell the vapor molecules floating off their morning coffees. The Captain had an iced cappuccino. Sam had a latte with a shot of espresso. Natasha had her coffee black with at least ten packets of sugar.

Natasha said something that made Steve laugh. Cas smiled. He preferred Black Widow over Agent 13 and thought Steve and Natasha would make a nice couple.

Cas left the trio and flew to the nearest internet cafe. There was nothing new on Hydra. Most of their agents had been captured or driven underground. But Steve Rogers was not one of them. Cas's work here was done. He left New York satisfied.

Captain America will never say 'Hail Hydra'.


End file.
